Army Research Office: Basic Research for Army Transformation
Jim C.I. Chang
&
Army
Research Laboratory
Abstract:
Given the uncertain
future, the increasing environmental complexity of battle space, and the wide
spectrum of potential conflicts, the current and future armies have greater
challenges to face. We will first
describe sciences and technologies central to transforming Army from the legacy
force to the objective force, which should be more responsive, agile, versatile
and lethal. We will then give an overview of the Army
Research Office (ARO) that is leading the efforts in seeding basic Army
research to develop transformational technologies for the Army.
We will also describe several
key science and technology initiatives in the Army/DoD. These include current or near-term research
initiatives to combat terrorism, as well as long-term research focuses that may
have transformational payoffs in the next ten to fifteen years. We will also briefly present research highlights
from the ARO sponsored research programs in counter-terrorism, nano-science, biotechnology and computationally-intensive
programs.
Brief Biography:
Dr. Chang serves in a
dual-hatted position as the Army Research Laboratory (ARL) Deputy Director for
Basic Science and the Director of the Army Research Office (ARO). As the ARL
Deputy Director for Basic Science, Dr. Chang is the senior science and
technology executive charged with oversight of the entire ARL basic research
(6.1) program. As such he is responsible for maintaining a coherent basic
research program among all of the Army 6.1 components and assuring the
transition of research to technology development.
The ARL is the Army's
corporate laboratory with many sites spread throughout the U.S. Its mission is
to provide the Army with the key technologies and analytical support that are
necessary to ensure future land warfare supremacy. The ARL is staffed with
about 2000 employees and has a budget of about $670 million.
As the ARO Director,
Dr. Chang leads an organization of world-class scientists and engineers
(including Senior Executive Service (SES) and Senior Scientist (ST) personnel)
who manage an extramural research program in the physical and engineering
sciences. The ARO research portfolio includes over $160 million in single
investigator research (1,200 active projects) and multidisciplinary research
centers (over 40). The research is conducted mostly in universities with
participation from industry and the Army laboratory community.
Within
the Army Materiel Command, Dr. Chang oversees Army programs totalling
approximately $140 million. These include the Armys Small Business Innovation
Research (SBIR), Small Business Technology Transfer (STTR), and a Historically
Black Colleges and Universities/Minorities Institutions (HBCU/MI) Program.
Dr. Chang entered
federal civil service in 1978 and was appointed to the SES in November 1990.
During his civil service career, he served as Director of the Aerospace and
Materials Sciences Directorate for the Air Force Office of Scientific Research.
There he managed the $50 million Air Force basic research programs supporting
aircraft, tactical and ballistic missiles, and spacecraft design and operation.
From 1989 through
1990, Dr. Chang was Chief Scientist at the Naval Air Systems Command. He
supervised all science and technology development supporting the Naval Aviation
Force. From 1988 through 1989, he served as a manager in the Office of Systems
Assessment with the National Aeronautics and Space Administration. For the
previous 10 years, Dr. Chang was a branch head at the Naval Research Laboratory
where he led research and development efforts in materials, mechanics,
structures, and thermal sciences.
Dr. Chang published
more than 40 publications and served as an associate editor and reviewer for
several professional journals. He is active in academics and DOD science and
technology committee activities.
Dr. Chang was born in China
during World War II. After completing his bachelor of science
degree in hydraulic engineering from